Ukraine Says Venice Festival Undermines Reputation by Allowing Russia’s Flag
Ukraine has condemned the presence of the Russian flag at the Venice Film Festival, calling it an insult at a time when Moscow continues to wage war and target Ukrainian cities.
The Gaze reports this, referring to a joint statement made by Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.
The ministries said allowing Russia to participate under its national banner amounted to hypocrisy and indifference to the suffering caused by the invasion.
“The festival opened with a tragicomedy under the flag of a country whose troops are committing war crimes right now. On the very same day, Russia launched a brutal strike on Kyiv and several other Ukrainian cities. By ignoring this, the organizers are further damaging the festival’s reputation,” the statement reads.
Kyiv stressed that as long as Moscow continues its aggression, giving it a platform at one of the world’s premier cultural events cannot be justified as freedom of art.
“Granting Russia an international cultural stage is not freedom of art, but hypocrisy, indifference, and support for even greater terror,” the ministries said.
On August 27, the annual Venice International Film Festival began on the Italian island of Lido. This year’s 82nd edition will last 11 days.
Among the top stars expected on the red carpet this year are Julia Roberts, Emma Stone, George Clooney, Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Andrew Garfield, Oscar Isaac, and Amanda Seyfried.
However, the Ukrainian appeal follows renewed Russian strikes on the capital. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that on August 28, 23 people were killed in Kyiv, including four children, while 53 others were injured and eight remained unaccounted for.
Kyiv declared August 29 a Day of Mourning in memory of the victims, with flags lowered and public entertainment suspended across the city.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on international partners to deliver a resolute response after a massive overnight Russian attack on Kyiv.